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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23979856">Next Step</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/aworldoffandoms/pseuds/aworldoffandoms'>aworldoffandoms</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Open Heart (Visual Novels)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Love, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Romantic Fluff, Short One Shot, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:20:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>831</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23979856</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/aworldoffandoms/pseuds/aworldoffandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ethan wants to take the next step with Nicolette. What will she say?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Next Step</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Prompt is from this list here:<br/>https://hnryycvll.tumblr.com/post/612750300620718080/l-o-v-e-prompt-list-we-could-if-you-want-hear-me</p><p>Prompt is in bold.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p></p><div class="">
  <p>Ethan Ramsey was a difficult man. A difficult man for anyone to get along with. Perhaps it was because he didn’t allow for people to get close with him, or maybe it was because he made it damn hard for people to crack the tough exterior he’s spent years perfecting. It worked efficiently for him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>If he was being honest, he could count on one hand how many people he could categorise as people he liked, the first being Dolores, second Naveen, surprisingly enough the owner of his favourite Chinese restaurant who knew his order off by heart and would deliver it to his door with extra dim sum just for an extra treat, and lastly, yet, more importantly, Nicolette Valentine. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Nicolette. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Just her name brings a smile to his face and makes his pulse quicken. Two years of working with her and the effect she had on him is still as visceral as ever. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It had been two years since she had assisted him to do an emergency thoracotomy and changed his life, but he sure wasn’t regretting it. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>She’s his junior fellow resident at Edenbrook and his girlfriend. The only women who dared to make his walls crumble and they sure did.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The smile returns to his lips as he peers down at the patient file and some labs that needed his attention. Nicolette’s sure a colossal pain in his ass, but she was his pain in the ass and he wouldn’t want it any other way. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He’s thinking this as he stares at the person in question, sorting through her own individual patient files while tapping her pen against the table. If it any other person Ethan would find it annoying but when it came Nicolette, it was endearing. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Damn, he was a goner. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A bout of nerves overtook him as he thought about the direction his life was taking, and he found that he wanted to take that journey with Nicolette. They’d be dating for over a year, much to the joy of Naveen and Sienna. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He’s happy and he’s so grateful Nicolette could give him that.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan steeples his fingers against his chin and stares at Nicolette. Her auburn hair cascades down her shoulders, the fluorescent lights catching on the silkiness of her tresses, her beauty not even marred by the frown etched into her eyebrows. Ethan smiles. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>If he was going to do it, more so now than ever. He wanted this. He just hopes Nicolette does too.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Nicolette?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Hmm…?” Nicolette hums absentmindedly as the files in front of her had garnered all her attention as she lifts her gaze from the labs of one of her cancer patients. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan clears his throat and stands from his desk and walks over to his girlfriend and sits beside her, grabbing her hand, his thumb caressing the side of her palm. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Nicolette’s heart speeds up. She knew he wasn’t this serious unless he had to be.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>Oh, shit! Did I leave Jenner’s bowl in the kitchen again? </em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What is it, Ethan?” Her voice is steady but she’s sure Ethan can see her apprehension. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan gulps against a storm of nervous butterflies and blurts the words out, never thinking of the consequences of what will happen. Once it was out in the open, he couldn’t take it back. And maybe he didn’t want to. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He’d been thinking about this awhile and now seems like a good time as any to tell her. They’d always promised to be open and tell each other whatever was on their minds.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“<strong>Move in with me.</strong>”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Nicolette starts, her mouth dropping open in shock. “Uh, what?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I want you to move in with me. You already stay over at my place more than you do with your roommates. I think it’s about time we take that next step and live together. I mean I know—” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was just one word but a word that held all the joy and excitement that Nicolette was feeling. She’d never been this happy.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan stares at her, his heart lifting when he finds Nicolette’s features lit up. “So that’s a yes then, I presume?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan is caught off guard as Nicolette throws her arms around his neck and buries her head against his shoulder. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“It’s a <em>hell</em> yes!” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan chuckles at her enthusiasm and runs a gentle hand through her hair as he kisses her temple. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He couldn’t fault Nicolette’s reaction because he was feeling the same, he just hides it better. Nicolette pulls back and her smile is wide as she squeezes his shoulders and jumps in her seat. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Can I move in right now?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan chuckles and kisses his girlfriend’s cheek. “I don’t see why not.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Nicolette pops out of the seat and grabs his hand, dragging him to the door of his office. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Let’s go! I can page Ines to take over my patients!” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Ethan laughs as he follows behind Nicolette, his thoughts on their future. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It’s looking like a bright one indeed.</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This post was originally posted on Tumblr.  I wanted to get back into some writing so I did some prompts from my ask box. See the originals over there here: </p><p>https://aworldoffandoms.tumblr.com/post/613740397043351552/open-heart-drabblesficlets</p></blockquote></div></div>
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